Improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of coal-gas



M. W. KIDDER.

Apparatus for the Manufacture of Coal-Gas.

N0 158,21 Pgented Dec.29,1874.

#0. I 1 I I i t I WII III/I I l u.uunul"nnnur lllllllllllllltlrvr W W 1' TN E 33 E 5 lllllllll THE sun-me coynro-ufmsssm mn; pmc'gmi UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

MOSES W. KIDDER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF HIS RIGHT TO PERSON NOYES.

IMPROVEMENTIN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL-GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,216, dated December 29, 1874; application filed June 13, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MosEs W. KI'DDER, of Boston, in the county of Suftolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Goal-Gas Apparatus 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description there of, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to and consists in the combination, with a horizontal gas-retort, a, of a steam-conduit, b, constructed as shown and described viz, with an open bottom and longitudinal side slots 1), or fissures, close to and above the bottom of the retort, and resting directly upon and" covering but a small portion of the bottom below the coals, and provided with a steam-supply pipe, 0, whereby steam is admitted to the conduit and thrown out horizontally in thin sheets or stratums beneath and among the coals at and near the bottom, and passed upward through the incandescent coal along the whole or nearly the whole length and breadth of the retort, and thus not only decomposing all the steam, but, by reason of the open bottom conduit, the steam admitted therein is more rapidly and perfectly superheated by coming in contact with the heated bottom of the retort and the heated conduit, and at the same time the steam has the further advantage of preventing the bottom of the retort becoming overheated. The conduit, the steam, the bottom of the retort, and the incandescent coal therein each 0011- tribute and all co operate to the production of the desired result, substantially as described.

On the drawing, Figure 1 represents a central longitudinal section of my improved coalgas apparatus, and Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of Fig. 1. i

In the said drawings, it represents an ordinary horizontal gas-retort, intended to be set and provided with heating-furnace and other external devices in the usual way. Within this horizontal retort a, and resting directly upon and covering but a small portion of the bottom, I apply an inverted trough or steam-conduit, b, which, by predetermined construction, has an open bottom, which exposes to the interior of and beneath the conduit a small portion of the upper side of the bottom of the retort. The two opposite lower edges or sides of the conduit areconstructed with longitudinal slots or fissures 1), extending nearly the whole length of the sides. Through the rear end of the retort a steam-supply pipe, 0, enters the end of the conduit, and this completes this part of the apparatus. At the rear end of and within the retort, and above the conduit, I place a receptacle, d, containing porous substance e, such as pumice-stone, upon which crude petroleum or other equivalent hydrocarbon is allowed to fall from a receptacle, f, through a pipe, 9, extending above the retort. The porous substance may be covered with a perforated distributing-plate, h, for the purpose of evenly distributing the hydrocarbon that enters through the pipe 9 over' and upon the pumice-stone. After charging the retort with bituminous coal, and firing the furnace beneath in the usual way, andcontinuing the fire until the contents of the retort are well ignited, I admit steam through the pipe 0 into the conduit 1), where it is superheated, and from which the steam escapes or is thrown out horizontally in thin sheets or stratums through the slots 1) or fissures, close to, and to a con siderable extent and for some distance in immediate con tact with, the bottom of the retort, and at the same time passing upward through. nearly the whole body of the incandescent coal therein, and decomposing the steam. The oxygen,combinin gwiththe carbon,formin g carbonic oxide and the hydrogen, is set free, mingling with the gases. The products-viz., the hydrogen and carbonic oxide-have no illuminating power, but the coal contains tar and oily matter, which, in the earlier part of the roasting process, supplies the element of illumination in a large degree; but in the last part of said process, and as the illuminating products from the coal become exhausted, the hydrocarbon introduced through the pipe and vaporized on the porous substance, supplies the illuminating element, which renders the whole product excellent in quality for illuminating, less of the hydrocarbon being introduced during the earlier than during the later part of the coal-roasting process.

The whole product, or the gas thus made, may be further increased in illuminating value by charging it, near the point where it is to be consumed, with the vapors of the lighter naphthas from petroleum, in the usual way.

At the time the steam is admitted through the pipe 0 into the conduit, the bottom of the retort is highly heated, so also the conduit, and as the steam passes into and through the conduit, both the latter and that narrow portion of the bottom of the retort exposed to the interior of the conduit contribute to the desired result of superheating the steam rapidly and with energy, so that when it passes through the slots 1) or fissures, it is in a very good condition to be decomposed as it passes through the whole body of incandescent coal above the conduit; and not only this, but the steam prevents overheating the conduit, and that portion of the retort-bottom covered by the conduit, Which I regard as a matter of considerable importance.

I claim as my invention- In combination with a horizontal gas-retort, a, the steam-conduit b, constructed as described, viz., with an open bottom and longitudinal slots 1) or fissures close to and above the bottom of the retort, and resting directly upon and covering but a small portion of the upper side of the bottom. below the coals, and provided with a steam-supply pipe, 0, whereby steam is admitted to the conduit and superheated, and thrown out horizontally in thin sheets or stratums beneath and among the coals at and near the bottom, and passed upward through the incandescent coal along the whole or nearly the whole length and breadth of the retort, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn invention I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MOSES W. KIDDER. Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, PERSON NoYEs. 

